Scenes from Another Life
by AoshiSan
Summary: A trial story about what would have happened if Mutsumi had not left the Inn as a child.


**Scenes From Another Life**

_Disclaimer: Love Hina is the property of Ken Akamatsu _

Keitaro Urashima was in the most comfortable position in his life; it was a position that he had become very used to. The familiar pressure of the young woman currently resting on his shoulder with her arms wrapped around his waist warmed his heart more than anything in this world, apart from when she smiles at him.

Keitaro often wondered what his life would have been like if things had turned out differently. What would have happened if this amazing young woman had left as was originally planned? Although he would probably never tell Hina, he would always be thankful to her for convincing her mother to stay longer at the Inn when business had pick up again.

He felt her move closer to him, if that were even possible. She obviously wanted to be held tighter. Her head was now resting comfortably in the crook of his neck, her lips softly brushing against his skin. Keitaro embraced her even tighter than before, as he did this he felt her relax and murmur something he couldn't quite make out. He didn't need to hear it to know they were words of love. She was always telling him how much he meant to her and he always returned the affection she showed him every chance he got. She had changed his life for the better just by being in it, and he would always be thankful for that. She had been his best friend all his life, she even got along with his sister, but then again Kanako thought of her as a sister and treated her as such.

Keitaro gently stroked his hand through her hair as he remembered all the great times they had had while growing up. Playing in the sand box at his grandmother's Inn, making the promise to go to Tokyo U together. Their first day of high school, they were always in the same classes, they sat together they ate together. Their other friends used to tease them about having a best friend of the opposite sex, but that didn't phase them, if anything the bond between them strengthened.

He remembered their first date, it was not long after he turned 16 when he got up the courage to ask her out, he can still remember the smile on her face when he asked her, the hug he got from her when she said yes. Everyone said that they had been dating since they were 5, they already did everything together. This to them was just a deepening of their friendship. He took her to the movies, although if asked he couldn't tell you what they saw. The only thing that he was concentrating on was Mutsumi and making sure that she was happy. Though out the whole movie his eyes were on he smiling face, which had brightened even more when he had put his arm around her shoulder. They had spent the rest of the evening like that, just holding one another.

Keitaro reminiscing was pleasantly interrupted when he felt a soft kiss on his neck. He turned his head slowly as not to disturb Mutsumi and planted as light kiss on the clown of her head. Mutsumi gave a soft sigh and he felt her snuggle further into his arms. Keitaro tightened his embrace even further and went back to his thoughts about the past.

They had been dating for almost a year when something happened that scared the both of them. Business at the Hinata Inn had dropped off and Mutsumi mother wanted to go back to Okinawa. Mutsumi had begged her mother to stay; she did not want to be separated from Keitaro. It was only the intervention of Hina that had allowed Mutsumi to stay. She had pointed out that it was her last year of High School and it would be unfair to Mutsumi to have to move to a new school for just a year before they start going to college. Her mother had agreed, she knew that both Keitaro and Mutsumi had formed a very strong bond. She also recognised that fact that it would be harmful to Mutsumi's education to move her in her last year. The question of where Mutsumi would live had been a factor and several options had been suggested, but they had decided that it would be best if Mutsumi live with Haruka in the Tea House. Although you wouldn't have thought it, she spent every waking moment with Keitaro. True they were mainly studying for their Tokyo U entrance exams but they enjoyed every moment they spend together.

By studying together they made more progress that they would have if they studied on their own. They kept each other sane and focused. When the entrance exams had come around they were prepared for them and passed first time. They both doubted that they would have succeeded if they had done this by themselves or if they had been separated.

During their first year they decided to move into a small apartment together, it was during this time that they learned that Hina had turned the Inn into a dorm. They heard about it through Haruka, as she often complained about the excitable residents that had moved in. Both of them would have liked to have made more of an effort to visit the Inn more often, but they had been so busy with their respective courses that they just didn't have time.

Mutsumi had done courses in marine biology; she always had a fascination with turtles. Keitaro had done courses in art and archaeology; he had picked up an interest in archaeology listening to Haruka's stories about her adventures when she was younger, the art classes, well he always enjoyed drawing and his favourite model was living with him.

Their alarm clock went off, rousing Mutsumi and bringing Keitaro out of his thoughts. Mutsumi lifted herself up and gently kissed Keitaro on the lips. It had become a ritual of sorts, every day started and ended with a kiss.

Normally they would have gotten up at that point, but neither of them had classes that day so the had decided the night before to take their time. True, they did have to be somewhere, but not until the afternoon. They had gotten a call from Hina a few days ago asking if they would come and visit. It had been a long time since they had seen her so they had jumped at the chance.

The morning passed with both Keitaro and Mutsumi enjoying some time to them selves. At about 11 o'clock they had decided to start on their way to the Inn. They made their way though the town hand in hand, as they approached the Inn they decided to stop off at the tea house and see Haruka.

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This is a trial story, not sure if I am going to go any further. I'm not one for use of dialogue in a story; I'm more of a descriptive writer. Any reviews or comments are greatly welcome. 


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